Last Chance At A New Start
by I-am-so-happy
Summary: Alice and Clint Larabee are married with five boys living under their roof. Alice is a stay at home mother. Clint is the local sheriff. Their life is pretty simple until Maude tells Clint about the child they conceived years ago and she wants him to finish the job of raising him.
1. Chapter 1

Alice Larabee glanced around her large kitchen as she mentally checked marked her regular scheduled week day morning to do list. With help of the alarm, she had woken early in order to prepare a basic breakfast meal of eggs, toast, bacon and a glass of orange juice, milk or coffee was set at each self-assigned spot. Everything was nice and neat.

That was before the boys awoken up in a rush to make it to school on time. Now plates were pushed randomly around on the table. Toast crumps littered the table top, the chair and even the floor where JD had been sitting. Glasses were over turned from when Buck jolted the table as he quickly pushed himself away in haste to catch a ride with Chris.

Alice loved all of her boys dearly and she would never pick one over the other. They each had a special place in her heart and for different reasons. Josiah was her romantic boy as well as her oldest at twenty-one. He was named Josiah after his great-grandfather and the name seem to suit as they looked very much alike with a square face and twinkle of laughter always present in the eyes. He came to life before Alice and Clint married. His mind was full of dreams and a soul eager to reach them. Currently he was away in college while studying to be a counselor, which he hoped to help troubled teens. Alice was sure he wouldn't have problems getting the teens attention as he was very intimating because of his size; however he was a gentle, patient giant.

Christopher was seventeen though he had a much older altitude towards life due to the tragedy of his girlfriend, Sarah Connelly who passed away in a car accident by a drunk driver. Chris had her light honey brown locks, which he kept short but he had his father's green eyes and nature. His personality was unpredictable. Most of the time he was very much in control of the situation but that anger often builds up and he becomes a keg of dynamite waiting for a spark.

Buck was next in line of the family tree at the late age of fifteen. His sixteen birth date was fast approaching and he was letting the whole world know about it. He went as far as to dedicate a song on the radio to himself and for his upcoming celebration of his birth. Buck wore his heart on his sleeve yet he was also known to lose his shirt so that heart would be stitched on another gal sooner than he would wink. Buck was tall and always smiling, which fitted his flirtatious personality and his eyes held a twinkle that girls swooned for.

Vin was the quiet one, very opposite of Buck. At age fourteen, he announced his world should end due to the need of glasses. It wasn't nearly as bad as his teenage mind kept telling him. The glasses were for reading and Alice assured him that he looked adorable in them. Adorable wasn't what he was going for though. Like Chris, Vin preferred a solitude environment and the outdoors suited his needs. Horseback riding through the land own by their small ranch and fishing, to Vin life couldn't get any better than that. School was a challenge because of dyslexia that he suffers. He always had to work twice as hard to get that average grade more than other students his class. To Vin, the glasses added to his feelings of not being as bright as his peers.

The baby of the family was called JD, which was short for Jonathan Daniels Larabee, named after Alice's great grandfather. His hair was dark and his eyes matched. He was outgoing as any nine year old boy but didn't seem to make friends easily. He also had a knack of learning and held in his mind a lot of useless knowledge that some thought to be fascinating while others thought he was showing off. His intelligence and his height being somewhat small for his age, caused him to be a target of bullying. JD was also a bit spoiled as Alice and Clint found it easier to cave into his demands instead of hearing his tantrums.

The family's two Labradors *Sam and Dobie were sharing turns of licking off Vin's plate, which the boy had snuck under the table when Alice wasn't looking. Both were black Labradors but Sam had patches of white in his face due to age. Even at the age of ten, he could be found bouncing around with Sam but his legs would tire more quickly and he would retire to his favorite spot on Clint's chair. Dobie however would help with the ranch. He was always eager to chase the chickens to their coops or herd the horses into their stalls. Dobie would also take it upon himself to jump into the pond in order to remind the ducks they could fly. As if reading time by the position of the sun, Dobie would time the arrival of his family by waiting at the edge of porch to bark their arrival.

Alice sighed heavily at the work before her. It never ceased to amaze her how in just minutes the boys could tear her kitchen apart. She tossed a dish towel over her should as she began the morning ritual of cleaning up.

Clint, her husband after twenty years, quickly made his way into the kitchen as he shoved on his sheriff jacket. "Good morning." He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before reaching for his coffee. "Boys made it off on time?"

From time to time, there were moments where Clint had to run one or two of the boys into school with the local police car.

"Today and you are lucky because you are running late." Alice reminded him. "You have the meeting with Judge Travis today. Has he let on what it is all about yet?"

"Not yet but you know how Travis is, Alice." Clint answered.

"Well, call when you find out." Alice told him as she juggled the plates and glasses towards the sink. "He has me curious."

"You've always been curious." Clint came behind her, kissing a spot on her neck just below her ear. "Lucky for me, it's the reason you started dating me."

Alice laughed but turned around to face him, slipping her hands behind his neck. "All the fine things the girls were saying, it was hard not to be curious about you."

"And look where it got you." Clint looked down at her, grinning as her brown eyes danced before him.

"It got me pregnant with Josiah before I graduated, that's where my curiosity got me." Alice pointed a finger into his chest.

"No regrets?" Clint asked her.

"No regrets." Alice smiled at him. "You may have some if you hold Travis up on being late."

Clint sighed and looked up at the ceiling as in debating whether a moment alone with his wife would be worth Travis' stern lecture.

"Go." Alice pushed him away from her. "I have a meeting with the school this afternoon."

"For which boy?" Clint frowned but his eyes held concern. "Vin?"

"Yep and JD." Alice told him. "Vin won't wear his glasses in class and JD is getting bullied."

"I thought everything was settled with that Rufus boy." Clint told her.

"I will find out more once I talk to his teacher." Alice patted him on the shoulder. "You need to go, you are later than before."

"I'm going." Clint gave her a quick kiss. "And I will talk to Vin and JD when I get home."

* * *

Clint found himself now staring across a high glossed desk of his old friend, Judge Orin W. Travis. Both men stared at each other in silence. Clint, because he was too stun to say anything and Orin because he was waiting for the shock to be over.

"There has to be some kind of mistake." Clint said to himself more to Travis. He glanced back at the results he held in his hands.

"I am sorry to say it is not a mistake, Clint." Travis nodded to the pages in his friend's hands. "I had a doctor of my own choosing do the results and according to those genetic tests results, you are the father."

"This can't be happening." Clint threw the papers on Travis' desk in frustration. He turned his head away from Travis stare, feeling ashamed of himself. "It wasbefore Buck was born. Alice and I separated for a short time. She was going to divorce me. I had even signed the papers."

"I remember you two went through a trying time." Travis nodded as he placed his folded hands on his desk. "You two will get through this as well. Am I to understand that you never told Alice about this Maude?"

"No." Clint shook his head. "I thought it was best to keep it from her. I had just won her back."

"I see." Travis watched his friend carefully. "When I spoke to Mrs. Standish, correction." Travis held up his index finger, "Mrs. Carlisle now, she had admitted that she never sought you out after the boy was born."

"I never heard from her after that week." Clint rubbed his chin as he returned a hard stare at the Judge. "Why now? What has it been? Fifteen, nearly sixteen years now?"

"Are you wishing you never knew you had another son?" Travis asked seriously.

"I'm not saying that. Though things clearly would be better." Clint growled out. "She never asked for money or anything at all from me. Now she wants to put her kid into my care? The boy knows nothing of me. She doesn't know anything about me. We spent a week together and that was all."

"Maude is an enigma all her own, Clint. Her appearance is deceiving." Travis picked up a pen, twirling it around his fingers as he recalled his meeting with Mrs. Carlisle. "It wasn't a chance she crossed your path that week. She targeted you a few weeks before that."

"Target? What are you talking about?" Clint eyes turned to steel at the thought of being used.

"She's a con-artist, Clint and you at the time were a pawn. Maude admit that she was watching you enter a bar a few weeks before she introduced herself to you. At the time, she was married to a wealthy, older gentleman for a few years but was finding difficult in conceiving a child from him. She wanted security. You happen to fit his profile when he was younger. You had the same hair color, the same built, even similar eye coloring. You were the perfect match. She charted things the way women do and when the right week arrived, well she nailed you."

"And she let her husband think the boy was his." Clint shook his head in disgust.

"Yes. However, it didn't go as well at Maude had planned. Her husband at the time knew he could not conceive any more children." Travis shrugged of indifference. "In the end, he kept her out of the will. However, he must have had some soft spot for the boy as he remained in the will but cannot touch inheritance until he has turned twenty-one and then only a quarter of it at that time."

"So why does Maude decide to drop him off at my door and not with any of his rich family members?" Clint asked.

"They are outcast. His children wanted no part of Maude and naturally, the boy." Travis tapped the pen against his desk. "Mrs. Carlisle is a desperate woman at the moment. She is facing criminal charges that are associated with embezzlement; this is not her first arrest. The boy, Ezra also has a history with law." Travis slid a folder over to Clint. "His life was not a sheltered one, Clint. Maude dropped him off many places and several states even had him removed from her care. Somehow she manages to find his location and reunites them together once more."

"It says he is a known runner." Clint looked up at Travis. "He has run away before?"

"From homes the state put him in. Yes. Even manage to give a certain reform school a slip a time or two. However, it was under Maude's care when he took to the streets permanently when he was eleven." Travis pointed out.

Clint flipped the pages, scanning the police files with disbelief clearly showing on his face. "Shoplifting. Auto thief. Burglary. Possession of a fire arm! Is he even safe to have in my home? "

Travis gave another shrug for an answer. "Doesn't appear violence is in his rap sheet and speaking to the boy, he doesn't come across of being violent, which is a surprise. The gun that was in his possession may have been for intimation. Again, he was young when he hit the streets. I'm surprised he survived at all. However, I cannot truly give you an answer to that, Clint."

"I don't know what to do." Clint tossed the folder back on Travis' desk. "I have to talk to Alice at least."

"I understand, Clint." Travis nodded looking down at the folder. "You don't have to take him in, you are aware of that? You can sign him over to the state. He's getting older and if he keeps to the same path, he's going to get some real prison time."

"And I am responsible for that?" Clint glared at the older man.

"You are his father and maybe his last chance, Clint. That is all I am saying. You have a great family and maybe that is what he needs." Travis replied. "In the end, it is you and your family who decide upon that."

* * *

**A/N**

I promise, future A/N's won't be this long. I just wanted to say that though I have done fanfiction under a different pen, I have always wanted to do a Magnificent Seven fiction but felt so intimated. I'm a sucker for stories where they are all children. There are some wonderful stories out there and this area has more serious readers. But I'm putting myself out here today.**  
**

*Sam and Dobie, the Labradors belong to Joy K who wrote a favorite story of mine, the 'North Pass Ranch' found on Black Raptor. I asked permission to use in a story about a year ago. At the time, my own lab had passed away and I dearly wanted at least one lab in my story but not mine, I wasn't ready to share. Sam and Dobie are perfect and Sam seemed so much like mine. Just because Dobie and Sam are in my story doesn't mean Joy K read my story or anything like that or approve of my story. As promised, those dogs will not suffer in my story nor have I had any plans for that.

Some of the things I used from stories I have read such as the name Clint or Sarah getting killed by a drunk drive or Vin needing glasses and such. Just piece from many stories that seem to fit the characters. Thanks for reading.


	2. Grounded

Principle Hurts' office was not a large office and the amount of items such as books, files, cabinets and art work narrowed the office space even more. Though Alice was not an expert on wood, the desk that sat between her and Mr Hurts seemed to be a simply plywood structure.

Principle Hurts was a mild manner man of late forties. His hair was tinting towards grey and laugh lines were very visible as well as lines around his eyes. Alice guessed him to be about six foot and weigh one eight, give or take. Her husband, Clint has taught his family to challenge their minds with descriptions of people, places and their surroundings as one may never know when it would be needed.

Principle Hurts passed a folder over the desk to Alice in order to get a clear picture of the topic of their conversation. "As you can see, Mrs Larabee," Principle Hurts sat back into his chair as he also looked at the same material in his own possession. "Vin's grades have declined further in this term than the first and second term. On numerous occasions, he has failed to hand in his homework assignments and not just in one subject but several. English, American History, and his math studies have plummeted drastically. He does remarkably well in Earth Science, which Mr Thomas enjoys teaching outdoors and naturally Physical Education. It appears to me that the studies that give Vin difficulty are the ones he spends on reading."

"He has prescription glasses and we are aware of his dyslexia." Alice spoke softly as she scanned his current grades. "He does his assignments. It's the first thing Clint and I ask of the children when they arrive home. We even review his work so I'm not sure why he isn't handing them in."

"I have asked as well as the other staff on the subject matter and we get no real response, merely a shoulder shrug or an 'I dunno' reply." Principle Hurts leaned forward in his chair, placing his elbows on the desk and folding his fingers in his hand. "He continues to disuse his glasses and if a teacher reminds him of them, he replies that he left them in another class."

"He told me he would start to wear them when we discussed this the last time." Alice explained.

"Children tend to do say one thing and do another," Principle Hurts gave her a small smile of understanding. "However, if his grades continue as they are, he will fail the grade."

"My husband and I will get to the bottom of this, I assure you." Alice handed him the papers back to him, which he waved them off to indicate that she could keep them.

"Mrs Larabee, I would like to recommend a different class for Vin. It's a class reserved for students that have problems in certain classes and allows them to get a more hands on help when its needed." Principle Hurts said. "It may provide the attention he may need."

"I believe it is the attention he wishes to avoid, Mr Hurts." Alice sighed, unsure of how to proceed with Vin's grades. "He feels singled out and that has always bothered him. He is very opposite of his brothers. Josiah and Chris who didn't care and Buck who relished it."

"Yes, I am still taking stomach tablets because of Buck's attendance. I pray he is treating High School better?" Principle Hurts grinned.

"Not even the slightest." Alice shook her head but there was amusement in her eyes.

"He always had a knack of getting of mischief and this would be a good time to bring up JD's latest behaviour." Principle Hurts scratched his head slightly. "Now I know that he and James Rufus are having problems learning to co-exist during school but no matter the reason, the school does not approve of fighting."

"Fighting?" Alice brows shot up. "What do you mean? I know JD has had verbal arguments with this boy but fighting?"

Principle Hurts stared at her for a brief moment in puzzlement. He dug through is files and on finding his prize, handed a sheet over to Alice to view. "Is that not your signature?" Principle Hurts watch Alice slowly shake her head before he continued. "Two days ago we gave JD and James detention for shoving each other. We sent that home with each boy to be signed by their parent."

Alice frowned at the letter. "I don't understand. This isn't Clint's signature, besides he would have told me about it."

"I had tried to make a phone call as well but it seems we have been given the wrong number." Principle Hurt explained. "Naturally, phone numbers of today change somewhat with the provider but…well, I went back to Buck's old emergency card and used that number to set up the appointment with you." He gave a small shrug. "And so you are here."

"Buck!" Alice slammed the paper down. "He did the exact thing when he was in this school. He changed the numbers on the emergency cards and forged our signatures when he was skipping classes."

"And we are improving our enrolment information to online to avoid this situation, next year." Principle Hurts explained. "As well as emails to parents. However in this case, we are a bit behind. I am afraid that JD and James disagreements have escalated to the use of their fist and both have started their in school detention this afternoon. Next time, JD will be looking at Out of School Suspension. Principle Wallaby in the High School will discuss the false signature to Buck and I can foresee detention in his future for this."

* * *

Clint turned the lights off to his jeep and stared through the windows of his home. All inside deemed it to be quite. There were lights on in the upstairs rooms as well the one in the kitchen and a flash in the game room to indicate the television was on.

He kept thinking of how he would tell his family about his other son. What their reaction maybe, what they may say. Tonight however, it all rested on Alice reaction. She may ask him to leave their home, their family. Tonight he would find if she would stand by his side when he told the other boys are if he would be doing it alone. If she accepts his mistakes well, maybe the boys would too.

The front door opened and Alice stood, leaning against the arch with a soft light at her back. She beckoned him to come inside with a nod of her head and a gentle smile on her face.

Clint took a deep breath as he tried to clear his mind before finding the courage to open the door of his jeep. He approached her, greeting her with a kiss that he hoped was not the last one.

"Mmm…" Alice grinned into his kiss. "You have a good day, I take it?"

"The worse." Clint grunted. "But coming home always seems to make it better."

"Dinner is ready once you wash up." Alice tugged the front of his shirt, forcing him inside their home. "All the boys, except for Chris are upstairs in time out."

"All of them?" Clint glanced in the game room and gave Chris a quick nod of hello.

Chris acknowledged his father out of habit than realisation that his father was home.

"Vin is not turning in his assignments, JD has detention for shoving and Buck for signing JD's papers he was to show us." Alice pointed to the rooms above their heads. "So as soon as they came home they got sent upstairs and patently waiting for you to get home."

"Why do I always have to be the bad guy?" Clint sighed.

"Because they don't take me serious." Alice explained. "You however, they know is a force to reckon with. However they don't know about my plan."

"What plan is that, babe?" Clint lifted an eyebrow in wonder.

"To curse them all with sons twice as bad as they are." Alice gave him an impish smile. "And then I will sit back and enjoy my revenge. But in the meantime, you deal."

"I still think I am getting the raw end of the deal." Clint grumbled. He walked over to the sink to wash up for dinner.

"I almost forgot," Alice threw him a towel to dry off. "How was your meeting with Travis?"

Clint focused on drying his hands.

"Clint?" Alice asked again. "What was the meeting about?"

"Nothing." Clint responded and mentally kicked himself. "It is something but can we hold off until the boys are in bed?"

"Of course." Alice frowned in concern but decided not to press it. "Why don't you let the boys know its dinner time?"

* * *

"G-Grounded!" Buck sputtered. "I can't be grounded! Not this weekend! I got a date all set!"

"I'm sorry. How about I let you check your calendar to make sure you're not busy?" Clint glared at Buck. "I have told you once before if you do the crime than you do the time. You get to make one phone call and that is to call off the date. Understand?"

"I do but I don't like it none." Buck barked.

"It wouldn't be a punishment if you enjoyed it." Clint turned to his two youngest sons, both sat shoulder to shoulder on the sofa watching Buck and Clint.

"Mrs Gims makes us read our assignments in front of the whole class, Dad!" Vin whined. "I can barely read as it is but had to do it in front of everyone makes it impossible and they all just laugh at me! And Mr Adams let other student check our homework and if I get a number backwards, they let everyone know! I hate school! I don't care if they fail me; I'm just dropping out when I turn eighteen anyways! I'll join the army!"

"You need a high school diploma or a GED to join the army, kid." Buck told him.

"Buck, you're not helping." Clint told him.

"Well I'll get my GED through them and then I will join the army." Vin stated with a cross of his arms.

"How about we discuss it when you turn eighteen? For now, you are still in school and you need to hand in your homework understand?" Clint asked. "Your mother and I offer our help to you and so do your brothers. We all want you to do your best, Vin. Doing your work and not handing it in isn't going to cut it. Your principle was telling us about a special class you could take to get extra help, what do you think."

"Doesn't matter, does it? Everyone thinks I'm stupid now anyways. Mind as well put me in a 'special' class for stupid students." Vin sulked.

"Your weakness is in reading and math, Vin. Nothing else. It doesn't mean you are any less intelligent. You just need a bit more time during those studies." Clint explained.

Vin only shook his head, hating the idea.

"Like Buck you get to spend the whole week thinking all about how you wish you handed those assignments in." Clint told him.

"B-but…" Vin started but stop as soon as Clint glared at him. "Okay. Not like I have a choice, does it?"

"Nope." Clint moved onto the next son. "And you, fighting in school. JD, what is going on?"

"Rufus is annoying! He picks on me all the time!" JD explained.

"So you use violence to prove your point?" Clint asked.

"Everyone keeps saying that you gotta stand up to bullies and they will back down." JD again explained. "So I stand up to him. He calls me a name, I call it back. He pushes, I push back but he won't leave me alone and I did nothin' to him! He's just plain evil! You should arrest him!"

"How about you start walking away? He cannot argue with you if you aren't there to argue, right?" Clint asked. "So walk away and tell a teacher."

"Then I get called a wimp and everyone will pick on me!" JD huffed. "I hate him. He's only mean to me because I'm smaller than he is!"

"This go between you and James Rufus is getting too serious. You are going to face out of school suspension. Do you want that?" Clint asked.

JD shrugged his shoulders. "Just don't have to go to school for a few days."

"Right. That is true but that also is put on your record and you may not get into a college that you want too when you are old enough to decide. You could miss out on an opportunity." Clint held up his hand before JD could state how he didn't care. "One fight will equal another and then another and sooner or later someone will get seriously hurt. So it will stop, understand? You will walk away from Rufus from now on."

"Yes sir." JD mumbled.

"I think two weeks without computer, television and games should make help you to remember the next time Rufus tries to draw you into an argument." Clint sentenced.

"Two weeks!" JD pointed at Vin. "He only got a week and so did Buck!"

"They weren't fighting. I find your situation more serious at this time." Clint explained. "Fighting will not solve anything, JD. Best to remember that."

"It isn't fair!" JD argued.

"That's how life is sometimes." Clint shrugged. "Off to bed, all three of you."

* * *

"Babe." Clint whispered in the dim light of his and Alice's room. He hated the silence she was giving him. "I didn't want to lose you. Not that I finally had you back."

Clint had told Alice about his affair and about having a son with Maude. Alice hadn't said a word; she simply turned her back to him and walked towards their wall window to look out at the night sky. It was hard to take in.

"I just received the documents to sign, to finalise that divorce. I was grieving Alice and I wasn't thinking clearly. I lost you in that moment and I was never going to get you back." Clint walked up behind her. He made a motion to put his hands on her shoulders but thought better of it, instead his hands fell to his side.

"She said she was in the same position, just going through a divorce as well. She said she understood what I was going through and I thought she did. One thing led to another…" Clint turned towards the bed, taking a seat upon it. "After a week together, she encouraged me to go back to you. To beg you to delay the divorce and to fight together to save our marriage. It was the best advice I ever took.

I always thought that she crossed my path in order to save my marriage. Travis told me that she actually target me to conceive a child that she could pass off as her husband's. She wanted to make sure I was out of the picture and that if I was happily back with my wife I would never track her down. She was right."

"Why didn't you tell me later? Why did it take you sixteen years to tell me?" Alice asked, finally turning towards Clint.

"Vin came along and we had our hands full with him and then, JD and well honestly, I was waiting for the right time but there was never a right time." Clint explained. "I started to think that this horrible mistake would never be found out. That it was something that I could lock away and hide from everyone around me. I was wrong."

"And now?" Alice asked.

"And now?" Clint shook his head.

"Why is she finally getting in touch with you? Why through Travis? Did he know about you and this woman?" Alice asked.

"No, he didn't know. I never told anyone. It was something I had always kept to myself, Alice. I was ashamed of it. I was afraid I would lose you again." Clint explained. "And Maude, well she has turned out to be a criminal and it seems the boy follows in her footsteps. Travis told me that there is a good chance she will have a long sentence. He offered a chance for us to take Ezra or to let the state take control of him."

"Bring him here?" Alice pointed to the floor of her home. "Won't that be lovely! The county will love this! And then his mother is released on good behaviour and I suppose she'll want to visit often?"

"I can let the state take him, Alice. No one will know. I don't even have to see him." Clint winced at his own words.

"That's what we will do." Alice nodded her head but slowly she started to shake it. "Clint, that makes him sound like some used sofa we plan to throw in a dump site and hope no one catches us. When it comes down to it, he isn't responsible for this mess and it would drive you crazy if you never see his face."

"I don't want to lose this family, Alice. If you can't stand at my side on this, the boys won't even accept it." Clint explained.

"I know." Alice huffed out a small puff of air. "Tomorrow we will visit him. Talk to his parole officer and decide if he is better off in a stable home or if he would be best with the state. Whatever we decide, we'll tell the boys. They have the right to know there is another brother out there."

"So…where does this leave me?" Clint asked. "Where does it leave me with you?"

"We were separated and I signed the devoice papers. We stopped the process before it could be finalised." Alice went to the linen closet and pulled out extra blankets. "So I don't see it as you cheated on me."

"I would never do that, Alice. I honestly thought I lost you for good and I just wanted to forget the pain for a moment." Clint assured her.

"Well you caused more of it." Alice handed him the blankets and pointed to the door. "Sofa."

"B-but…." Clint looked at her confusion clearly showing on his face.

"You didn't tell me about her either. Not until you absolutely had too." Alice explained. "You do the crime, you will do the time. A week on the sofa for hiding secrets that I should had been made aware of."

* * *

A/N: I want to thank everyone who reviewed. It was quite an encouragement. Also extremely helpful as I was just going to have Alice explain to Clint what had happen at her meeting. But since a reviewer wanted to know what happen at school - I think it turned out better this way. So your thoughts are helping me with the story. Nathan will be in the story as well. I have four ways to bring him into it but I can only use one. One is to have him as a neighboring friend of Buck's. Another is to have him go to a college near Josiah, who than invites him home. Another is have him as a cousin in a mixrace family and the one I am leaning towards is Josiah doing a big brother program and befriends Nathan. I do have direction to go yet I do not want to rush the story line. However, I have studies and work on over load so I am trying to do a weekly update. This month is going to be extremely busy for me so please forgive me if the delay is longer than a week. Again, thanks for all the support.


	3. First Impression

JD sat on his parents' bed, watching his mother with a large amount of curiosity as she made a circle from wardrobe to the suitcase and so forth. He leaned a bit to the left with his dark eyebrow raised slightly as she wondered into the master bathroom to rummage through the drawers in there.

"Why can't I come along?" JD asked again with a pout. His mother only left him with his grandfather once a few years ago and that was supposed to be an anniversary week for his parents. She called him twice a day. Alice also claimed she hated being so far without the children and she didn't want to do it again, so JD was a bit confused why she would be leaving on another trip. "I would be extra good."

"I know you would be, sweetie." Alice came out of the bathroom carrying her hair supplies. "If this would be something you would enjoy I would take you but it will get very boring and…," Alice rubbed the top of his hair before kissing his forehead quickly. "You just be extra good for Josiah. He's bringing a friend home, remember."

"Yes." JD mumbled still in a disappointed trance. "Somebody he meant at the University and he can't go to his own home because he isn't rich enough."

"Pretty much." Alice smiled. "His name is Nathan and he made quite an impact on your brother. He's on a scholarship there to be a doctor. Isn't that exciting?"

"Maybe if he gets to put bones back together but I think people coughing on you all day would get a bit boring." JD watched as his mother folded some clothes neatly in the suitcase. "If it isn't far, why are you packing?"

"Well we will be traveling three, nearly four hours just to get there. That's an eight hour trip back and forth and we want to spend more than an afternoon there." Alice told him.

"What are you going to do there?" JD asked.

"Well, your father has some business he plans to settle and well, we will figure it out when we get there." Alice was careful on what she said. She and Clint hadn't come out and told the boys about Ezra, just that their father had to see to personal business. Of course Chris and Buck were quick to figure something wasn't right. Josiah was even asked to come home for a few days to watch the boys, though Chris argued that he was very certain he could handle his brothers for the weekend.

"I still think I could come." JD whined once more as he glanced at his mother through his thick eyelashes.

"If we make the trip again, perhaps you can come." Alice shut her suitcase and with one more glance around the room to make sure she had everything.

"Yeah, maybe." JD sighed. He was sure it would get boring at home.

* * *

"Remember if you need us…" Alice kissed JD on the cheek then lifted his chin so she could examine his face or more so, the smudge on his nose. She licked her finger to rub it off and JD quickly ducked away from the assault. "Make sure he takes a bath." Alice eyed her oldest son.

Josiah glanced down at his little brother with a wide grin. "Just to watch him get dirty again?"

"Help Vin with his practice sheets. Make sure he wears his glasses." Alice tugged sweetly at Vin's shaggy hair. "You should get a haircut."

"I like it this way." Vin pulled away from his mother's tug. "Are you going to bring us back a present?"

"It's not a vacation, Vin." Clint said as he put Alice suitcase in the trunk. "I doubt there will be souvenirs there."

"We still can go riding while you are gone, right?" Vin asked as he eyed the barn.

"You may as long as one of your other brothers goes along with you." Clint reminded him.

"JD will probably come along, won't you JD?" Vin turned to his youngest brother who quickly nodded his head.

"I'm glad to hear that." Clint walked away from the car to his family. "I want you and JD to spend more time together but I was referring to one of the older brothers."

"I'm old enough." Vin exampled. "Chris went riding when he was fourteen!"

"I went with Josiah." Chris explained.

"I saw you go out by yourself plenty of times." Vin rolled his blue eyes.

"And he paid the price for those trips." Clint exchanged glances at Chris.

"Dad grounded me when he found out. Though I wasn't sure who snitched on me until today." Chris eyed his little brothers.

"I'm not a snitch." Vin looked over at JD who suddenly took an interest in the clouds. "Oh. Yeah, JD is a good snitch."

"Am not." JD crossed his arms in a sulk.

"You are too. Always going about tattle telling on us." Vin argued.

"Don't." Josiah put his right hand on top of Vin's head and his left on top of JD's head. "Just don't."

"Buck, I want to remind you that this weekend you are to be home not off rambling about." Clint warned him. "If you want to date again, you will do to remember that."

Buck smiled brightly and instantly, Clint knew he was up to no good. "Oh, I'll be home this weekend. I wouldn't want to miss bonding with the brothers! No sir."

"Watch him." Clint immediately turned his eyes on Josiah but held a finger pointing to Buck.

"Will do." Josiah gave Buck a wink.

"And thank you again for coming home." Alice stood on her toes to kiss Josiah cheek and to embrace him. "We appreciate it."

"I know." Josiah hugged his mother back, amazed how fragile she felt and yet, knowing she was the glue that kept the family together.

"And thank you for watching over my boy, Nathan." Alice gave the new boy a hug. "I feel a little better knowing that you are here and have some medical knowledge because this lot tend to need assistance time to time."

"I appreciate the offer to visit." Nathan hugged back and he meant it. Nathan lived his whole life in a big city so a country home was a glorious site and the promise of horseback riding lessons were a bonus.

"And you two. I hope the both of you will be smart enough to stay out of trouble." Alice looked down at the two dogs that sat waiting for their good-byes. "And keep an eye on the boys." Alice bent down to kiss both of her furry four legged boys.

"Make sure Dobie doesn't eat Sammy's food again." Clint patted his older dog on the head. "I don't know which one of you is doing it but stop feeding them greasy food or you'll be cleaning up after them."

* * *

Buck waved one last time as the car finally went out of view. He gave a loud whistle and then whoop. "Finally! I started to think they were never going to leave!"

"What are you up too?" Josiah crossed his arms in front of him and carefully studied his brother.

"Now don't get all psychic on me, Josiah. I ain't done a thing." Buck eyes dance merrily. He pointed to Vin and JD. "You just mind the young ones and let this big dog play!"

"You're grouneded remember!" JD pointed at Buck. "I heard dad say so!"

"So did I, kid. So did I." Buck ruffled his hair, which JD hated. "Just because I can't go out to have a good time doesn't mean the good time can't come to me."

"Huh?" JD looked over at Vin.

"Best not ask that way we can say we never knew." Vin told him very wisely.

"Buck, don't get me in trouble for killing you this weekend." Josiah warned him.

"It's not what I'm planning to do, Josiah. But if dying is what I will be doing than this buck is going to die happy!" Buck sauntered off to do his chores and no doubt adding the final mental touches to plan his of paradise.

"Come on, JD." Vin nodded toward the barn. "We better get the horses out to run. We can go riding later, right Josiah?"

"We'll see." Josiah watched the two younger boys head towards the barn before turning to Chris. "What do you think is going on with our parents?"

Chris measured Nathan up for a moment. He hated to talk about family problems in front of strangers but Josiah felt completely comfortable with Nathan and Chris had to admit, there was something trusting about those dark brown eyes. "I'm not sure. Both seemed to be careful what they said about the trip. Like they were reading a line from a play. They have been completely vague about everything. I don't know where they are staying, what town they are staying in or even if it's in the same state. I just know it's about three or four hours from here, point A."

"Nothing happened before they mentioned the trip? Nothing unusual?" Nathan asked. "Maybe a phone call or a letter?"

Chris thought about it for a moment, thinking on the weeks or months before but nothing seemed out of place. "Nothing. Mom went to school a few times but that isn't unusually. Dad seemed a bit quiet, more so than usual like something is on his mind but it sounds like work is the same. He's been sleeping on the sofa for a week. Buck had enough balls to ask why but Dad blows it off as Mom is punishing him."

"Small town like this," Nathan looked around the mountain valley. "I can't see much crime happening."

"It happens." Josiah patted Nathan on the shoulder. "If there are people there are crimes but we don't see much of the major stuff you probably hear about."

Clint paced the back and forth in the white washed walled room. It was a room that was intended to look cosy with a sofa, a television and a few chairs pushed in at a centre table but the bars on the window took that feeling away and the coldness that seem to seep into the soul of a person.

* * *

They had arrived at a decent motel about three in the afternoon and had no time to nap or eat because of the visitation schedule the security school had enforced. They had to sign papers before they were brought to the family room and with much appreciation; Travis had made the super attendant of the school aware of Clint's arrival so things were running smoothly for the couple.

However, things were suddenly moving fast and Clint started to feel the heaviness of not being in control, of not knowing what to expect, started to climax. He spent two weeks hiding this from everyone but Alice. All he could think about is this kid he hadn't known existed and suddenly taken over his normalcy. The drive was a hellish one as he tried to think of clever things to say to the boy. Even now, he had to rethink things. Should he hug him? Should a hand shake? How would he introduce himself?

Alice however was taken it in as if she was waiting to have her hair styled, patiently. She sat at the table carelessly flipping through a magazine but when she felt Clint's eyes upon her, she would look up with a bright reassuring smile. She had called the boys after they dropped their suitcases off and Clint knew she wanted to call them again but was fighting it.

Finally the door opened to reveal a short middle aged man followed by a lanky teenage boy. Alice took a deep breath before she rose to stand next to Clint, holding his arm with her hand for support. There was no doubt the boy was Clint's. He had the Larabee stare; those green eyes were just as piercing as her husband and her son, Chris back at home. Alice recalled her early dating years with Clint and the first time she had seen his mother. She loved the woman's chestnut colour hair and the way it fell softly in loose curls around her face. The boy had the same shade of thick hair and though his hair was cut shorter, there were tell-a-tell signs of soft ringlets tempting to curl against the short cut.

"Good afternoon." The man held out his hand to Clint and then to Alice. "My name is Mark Signally and this is Ezra Standish. You must be Clint and Alice Larabee, a pleasure to meet you both. I work with state as a social work on Ezra's behalf. Because he has had no knowledge of your relationship to him until recently, I feel it is best to keep this visit as a supervised one due of his age."

"We understand." Alice smiled brightly at the counsellor and the boy.

"It's good to finally meet you Ezra." Clint finally found his voice and winced inwardly as it sounded a bit rough.

Ezra gave a brief like-wise nod in Clint's direction.

"Perhaps you should sit?" Mark gestured towards the table that allowed a barrier between the two parties and allow Ezra to relax a bit. "I'll just sit over here if you need me." He pointed to a straight back chair that he pulled into the corner of the room to observe the family but also to give them privacy.

Ezra pulled a chair from the table and sat down looking ready and completely comfortable. Of course, he had been trained to allow people to read his face and posture the way he wanted to be read. He had many 'fathers' in his life that Maude married and she had convince to set him free from time to time so this really wasn't all that different.

Naturally the biggest difference was that according to his mother, Clint Larabee was in fact his true father. He was a bit disappointed in hearing the news, though he didn't show it. All his life he had dreamed about his real father and how they would meet each other and everything would be okay. Now that dream had turned into reality but reality never had a happy ending and Ezra braced himself for the disappointment that was guarantee to follow.

Finding out who his father was only meant that he had one more person in his life that wanted to tell him what to do and use him, no doubt. Ezra refused to let it happen though. He had been done being the pawn when he had turned eleven, when he decided that living on his own in the shadows of the streets was a less hazardous option than living with his mother or anyone she picked to care for him. Like other places, he would find a way out of this facility and move on. Clint Larabee would be another face in his memory.

"I-I don't know where to begin." Clint as he and Alice took up the chairs on the other side of the table. "You know…I had..I um..I had no idea that your mother and I had a um..well you. If I'd known I would had been in your life from the get go. It's important to me that you are aware of that."

"Mother had informed me of the nature of my conception." Ezra gave the couple a brief smile to ease their comfort though it did nothing for his own. "I don't hold any resentment of your distance."

"Well, you say it like that makes it seem like it was a business transaction." Clint muttered.

"Was it not? Mother recalled paying for dinner and room and left money on the night table for a cab ride home." Ezra couldn't help but put acid in something that clearly wounded this man's pride. Maybe there was a bit of resentment that Clint never tried to find out what happened to Maude. If he did, maybe things would have been different. "That sounds like money exchange for a night of entertainment."

"That wasn't how it was." Clint glared at the boy whose green eyes seem belittling him.

"You have a southern drawl." Alice tightened her hand in Clint's own as she placed the other hand on the table, an outreach effort. "It's beautiful. Where were you born?"

"I was born in Louisiana while Mother was enjoying the exciting life style that Baton Rouge offers. We relocated often but enjoyed the lodging around the southern coast line and eventually made Georgia home longer than most." Ezra answered.

"How did you end around here?" Alice asked with curiosity clearly reading in her eyes. "Georgia is a long ways from here."

"So it is however Mother was not and she had an interest near here and needed help." Ezra said carefully. "Unfortunately things didn't go as she intended and here I am in this wonderful facility, imprisoned."

"That's what happens when the law is broken." Clint huffed.

"That's the cop in him." Alice gave Clint a warning glance. "I'm certain Ezra knows he did wrong. Did you know that you have five brothers at home? Josiah is our oldest; he is in college studying Psychology. Chris is seventeen and then there is Buck who is fifteen soon to be sixteen in a week. Vin is fourteen and JD is only nine."

"My, what a considerable large family you have and very proud of it." Ezra noted dutifully but felt nothing for the fact. They were just names in the mouth, with no faces.

"How old are you now? We don't even know your birthday. Have you other brothers or sisters by your mother?" Alice asked.

Ezra grinned with the thought of his mother trying to care for two children. "I've had many step-brothers or step-sisters but they have come and gone with Mother's matrimonies."

"With having young children at home, we were a bit concern about your behaviour problems." Clint leaned a bit forward towards the table.

Ezra looked over at him watching and waiting with a silent look that showed no emotion.

"I read that you have been caught with a firearm." Clint explained. "Stolen cars and other stolen processions."

"What we would like to know is…" Alice looked over at Clint, both trying to find the right words.

"What would you do? I am to understand you are an officer of the law and even in a small town such as your own, you hear stories of children on the street. I never fired that gun at a living soul but there was a time or two when it came close. I don't regret having the pistol or knowing how to use it. As for the car theft, it was a beauty and the keys were right there." Ezra shrugged, the temptation of sitting behind the wheel of the jaguar was too much to resist. "For some, surviving may mean bending the law."

"We do hear stories and that's why we are here." Alice explained. "We want to give you the opportunity our sons have and at the same time, we just want to make sure that our home remains safe. After all, your criminal record is a bit intimidating."

"Bless your heart." Ezra syrupy voice hinted sarcasm and he stood up giving the social worker, Mark a brief nod. "Why don't we just call this day to an end? You all did your respectable deed on checking upon my wellness."

"Ezra," Alice stood up.

"I never requested you all to visit me. I do not recall asking for your assistance or giving an 'opportunity' that Mr. Larabee's children may or may not have. I care not if you leave me or accept me. In fact, I rather you just walk away and leave me to my own device." Ezra hadn't wanted to blow up at Alice but at the same time, he didn't want them to 'think' they had to do him a favour. He loved the street life and the wildness it offered and yes, even the gamble of what it brought to his door. Having Alice and Clint here was a threat of having that familiarity taken from him. The streets were his home and no one wanted to be forced out of their home. "There is no need to stagger over justifications for not doing a parent's obligation as to care for me. I was raised to care for myself and I do not need anyone for that. I do not desire to go home with you."

"Now wait a moment!" Clint barked, finally rising from his own chair.

"I think we should end this meeting," Mark nodded his head like a bobble head doll. "It's for the best, perhaps restart it tomorrow."

"I want to finish this obligation idea he has in his head now!" Clint continue to bark, his voice booming off the walls.

"Settle down," Alice pulled Clint's sleeve. "We'll be back tomorrow, Ezra."

"I need to check him back in and be right out so we can go over some things." Mark gave the couple an encouragement smile but received none back. "Yes, well it will only be a moment."

* * *

Ezra let the door to his room close softly behind him before he kicked the wall. The Larabee couple were an easy ride out of his confinement and he blew it up by letting his anger get the best of him. It was his worst enemy though he often kept it under control. All he had to do is sit there like an angel, blame wrong doings on his mother and society and he'd be riding on their guilt out of here and when the right opportunity for him to run came into light, he'd be out of sight.

Yet, there he stood telling them to leave him behind. Giving them permission to walk away and never look back. To wipe their hands clean of him. It was what they wanted to do. Just like everyone else.

He sat down on the small bed in his single living space. He knew they hadn't actually wanted to take him home. He would be a blemish on their perfect home, their perfect family just like every family before them. Still, it hurt not to be wanted. He wasn't sure what it was about him but he never was good enough for any family.

Ezra leaned backwards onto the bed, closing his eyes as he tried to draw an image of the Larabee Family. There was a Josiah he remembered Alice had named. He was the oldest one. Ezra couldn't see the face just a shadowy figure.

* * *

"Buck!" JD yelled against the blaring music. "There is someone in the bathroom and I gotta go!"

Buck looked down at his baby brother and followed the curvy figure of the girl before him. "Go away, JD." Buck swatted the air. "This here is the big boy playground."

"But I gotta go!" JD whined. "And the music is too loud! There are too many people here! Are you even listening?"

"Here, now go somewhere else." Buck handed JD an empty cup.

"But Buck…" JD looked at Buck and back at the cup and back up at Buck once more.

"Come on, JD." Vin came up behind him. "I'll take you out with Sam and Dobie."

"I ain't no dog!" JD whined.

"Then go in the cup with everyone watching." Vin shrugged.

"Where is Chris? Where is Josiah?" JD whined as he followed Vin and the two dogs outdoors.

"Chris went to a girl's home. Some girl that just moved into the area. I think her name is Mary or maybe Kelly." Vin told him. "And you know the first place Josiah goes when he comes home is visit that Indian village, betcha Nathan is there too."

"So who is watching us?" JD asked.

"Buck." Vin looked back at the party place Buck had made their home into. "But just till Chris or Josiah gets home."

"This isn't good." JD frowned. " We ain't supposed to have friends over if Mommy or Daddy aren't home and Buck has a lot of friends over! I'm going to tell on him!"

"I figured you might." Vin pointed to the boys' tree house. "I thought we could spend the night there."

"What about Sammy and Dobie?" JD asked looking worriedly at the two labs.

"Now that I'm fourteen, I can haul them up on the pulley lift." Vin pointed to a square cubical box that they used to take things up to their tree house. "We have to make sure the gates are closed so they don't try to get out on their own."

"Do you think we should call Chris or Josiah?" JD blinked at his brother.

"Nah. Josiah had already called and said he was returning. Should be here in an hour or so." Vin told him with a large grin. "I suppose that was the phone call Buck had been trying to listen to but I got to it first."

"Josiah sure will be mad when he comes home." JD's dark eyes widen.

"Yeah." Vin laughed. "We should be able to hear all the hollering from up there."

"They won't know we are up there, will they?" JD asked worriedly.

"Probably not." Vin looked back at the house. "But I think Buck deserves to be to be a bit scared. Wait till Mom calls and wants to say good-night to us and Buck can't find us!"

"He's going to be so scared." JD covered his giggle with his hand but his childish laugh stopped. "I don't want to miss Mom calling."

"She will call back. Deserves him right, if you ask me." Vin helped JD up the first step of the tree house.

* * *

Clint couldn't eat the soup he had ordered. There was too much on his mind. He felt so stupid sitting there behind that damn table while Alice did all the talking. He looked like an idiot and to make matters worse, he went blowing out steam because the boy thought an obligation brought him to this place. And giving them permission to just leave and forget about him. Those hallow green eyes will be there when he closed his eyes.

"We'll go back tomorrow." Alice watched her husband spoon up his soup and slowly let it pour back into the bowl. "You heard what Mark had to say. Ezra's life has been horrible and his mother put him in horrible situations. All this time we were thinking if we would be able to trust him not to bring harm into our home and he sat there thinking how to keep us from harming him. He has more reason to be suspicious then we do."

"You saw the look in his eyes. He doesn't want anything do to with us." Clint put his spoon down.

"His past experiences are telling him that. Once he is with us, we will change that. It will take a while but we can make it work, Clint." Alice reached over to take Clint's hand. "Mark believes he has a good heart. He interacts well with other younger children rather well. He just needs to learn to trust."

"I feel guilty, Alice." Clint ranked a hand through his hair. "I shouldn't. I knew nothing about him but I can't help it. If she had told me his life would had been different. I could had prevented this."

"You still can. Travis believes you can and so does Mark." Alice encouraged him. "I decided we should take him home."

"You decided?" Clint lifted his eyebrows in amusement.

"Yes. The boys will accept him easier my way." Alice confirmed. "Besides, you want to. You know you do. Secretly, you are looking forward to the challenge and that boy is going to be the greatest challenge you will ever face."

"How do you think the boys will take?" Clint asked worriedly.

"In strides, just like their Father." Alice grinned. "Oh, he does look like a Larabee. Those green eyes and dimples and my, the girls are going to be fanning themselves once he starts talking to them with that Southern twang."

"I have enough angry fathers because of Buck, I'm not looking for more." Clint grinned.

"It would do well for Buck to have some competition." Alice scoffed.

"I guess we get to tell the boys about their new bouncing brother once we get home." Clint was clearly not looking forward to that.

* * *

Josiah and Nathan sat in the car watching the destruction in front of them. The Larabee Ranch was littered with teenagers. Short ones, tall ones, skinny ones, fat ones, drunk ones, it seemed they came in assortment. The music was blaring. Lights were on in every room. Even the barn was being occupied with giggling teenagers.

"I'm glad you are on your way to becoming a doctor, Nathan." Josiah told his friend.

"You fixing on hurting someone?" Nathan asked as he watched some kid trip over the watering hose in the yard. The boy quickly got off the ground, looked around for witnesses before proceeding to the party.

"I'm fixing on killing someone. I want you to bring that someone back to life so I can kill him again." Josiah explained.

"That makes reasonable sense." Nathan agreed. "Your two little brothers are somewhere in there, I imagine."

"Yes." Josiah nodded his head.

"I might have a fairly good idea on where we can stash the body." Nathan informed Josiah.

"I might be in need of that information." Josiah sighed.

Nathan jumped as someone tapped on their window. Slowly he rolled his window down and found cold eyes staring back at him.

"I think I know what Buck was up too." Chris happened to pull up behind Josiah unnoticed. Chris made a nod towards the house, beckoning the two older boys to follow.

"Do I get to carry a bat?" Nathan asked as he climbed out of the car to follow the Larabee brothers. "A bat would add fear."

* * *

A/N: I am not good with dialects so I opt out in trying to mess that up. I know a lot of writers have done a great job with the M7 speech structure but that isn't my line of strength, I'm sorry for that. You just have to take my word that Erza is speaking in a southern tone and JD as a nine year old.

I do want to thank everyone out there for the great feedback. I am having more encouragement for this story than I imagined and helpful insight through the messages. I really want to say that I appreciate it all. I know this story is a bit slow and everyone is anxious to have the boys meet each other. I'm trying to make it seem realistic. Thanks again for the kind words.


	4. Confess

Josiah pushed the door open with a thunderous noise, which grabbed the attention to some teenagers that were close to the entrance of the home. He took a step into his home, his frame filling the door way. Chris and Nathan were at his back in an arrow formation.

The children must have seen hell in his eyes, for once their minds unthawed from the shock, they took off like cockroaches. They scrambled over each other, stumbling out the door, or climbed out the window. They were the lucky ones.

Josiah's hand quickly reached out to grab the back of a shirt of a quick footed young teen that tried to slip by him. "Tommy? Now what would your daddy think if I showed up on his steps towing you along with alcohol on your breath?"

"I-I didn't drink any." The skinny boy stammered. "Must have spilled on my shirt."

"James McKee. Laura Adam and Jenny Chambers." Josiah voice rumbled through a small group of teenagers who hadn't noticed his arrival.

"We were just leaving." The dark haired teen sat his drink down quickly; almost missing the table as he never took his eyes off of Josiah. He nervously walked towards Josiah, the girls following his lead.

Josiah reached his hand out to prevent the boy from leaving. "It's a nice night to walk the ladies home, don't you agree?"

"Um…" James frowned at the idea. "I drove."

"I know." Josiah turned his palm upward.

"Seriously? Aw, this isn't cool." James frowned at Josiah but knew better than to argued. He fished in his pockets for the keys to his jeep and put them in Josiah palm.

"Have a nice walk, kids." Josiah let them pass.

Cell phones were going off throughout the house to warn others that still may have been inside. A few students came out of the entertainment room and the dining room. From the small amount of trash on the floor, tables and chairs it looked as the party hadn't been going on for too long.

Chris ventured forward towards the kitchen where he heard Buck's voice. "Party's over."

"Chris!" Buck cheered as his older brother strode into the kitchen. There was a blonde girl sitting on the countertop with her arms wrapped around Buck's neck and a brunette snuggled against his side.

"Out." Chris told the girls.

"Now, Chris that ain't a way to speak to these two pretty gals." Buck smiled down at the brunette.

"Now." Chris said more forceful.

"Ladies, you need to excuse my brother. Seems he lost his manners." Buck eyed his brother. "Lost his fun as well."

"Brooke." The blonde slid from the countertop and looped her arm around the other girls. "We should be going. Nice to meet you Buck."

"Bye." Brooke purred, taking a moment to check out the older brother on her way out.

"Now don't be looking at me like that." Buck pointed a finger at Chris. "I've done nothing you hadn't done in the past."

"I was wrong and I would have thought you would had realized that when Dad grounded me, Buck." Chris leaned against the sink.

"Dad didn't catch me, did he?" Buck stretched.

"Josiah and Nathan are clearing out the remaining guest." Chris explained. "I don't see Josiah sweeping this under the rug."

"He won't tell." Buck pulled himself up on the counter. "He'll just lecture me and that will be it."

"Don't count on it." Josiah walked into the kitchen taking a moment to glance at the mess.

"Aw, come on." Buck whined. "I ain't the first Larabee to throw a party. Hell, Vin and JD will probably try it as well."

"Where are those two?" Nathan asked, glancing around. "Don't you have dogs?"

"Yeah. Doby and Sammy." Josiah looked over at Buck. "Where did you stash them?"

"I didn't do anything with them." Buck held up his hands. "They are probably upstairs, which I told everyone was off limits."

"They're not there." Nathan shook his head. "I just came from upstairs."

"Dobie should have barked at our arrival." Chris frowned.

"Do you think they would have gone to Nettie's house?" Josiah asked, already turning towards the phone hanging on the wall to call their closest neighbour.

"I'm not sure if that would be a good thing or a bad thing." Buck winced at the idea of Nettie lecturing him. "Maybe we shouldn't have to disturb her. They would be outside. Maybe in the barn?"

"I'll check." Nathan gave the brothers a nod before leaving them to search for the boys.

"You better hope they are there." Josiah warned Buck as he followed Nathan outside.

"I didn't chase them away." Buck explained to the fleeting back of his eldest brother.

* * *

The two boys giggled from their hiding place in the tree house their names were being called out by the older boys. Vin had given Dobie and Sam a chew bone to keep them quiet and had placed a hand over JD's mouth to prevent him from calling out when Buck started to yell his name in the dark.

JD took Vin's hand away from his mouth. "But he's calling for me."

"Deserves him right, not knowing where we are. He wasn't paying much attention to you earlier, now was he?" Vin asked him.

JD frowned at the memory. "No."

"You weren't asking much either. So this is his lesson." Vin told him sternly as he peered down at the scene below him. "Probably won't find us until tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" JD eyes grew large as he noticed just how dark it was outside. "You mean we will really spend the night here?"

"Sure. Why not?" Vin turned to look at him. "Nothing can get us up here."

"But its dark." JD told him.

"That happens at night, JD." Vin rolled his eyes. "You aren't going to be a baby, are you? Scared of the dark?"

"I'm not a baby." JD told him. "And I ain't afraid of the dark, either."

"Than what's the problem?" Vin asked him.

"Well." JD thought about it. "Maybe I'm a little afraid of the dark."

"We got Sam and Dobie with us." Vin assured him.

"But Dobie likes everyone and Sam sleeps a lot." JD looked over at the two labs chewing on their bones. "I don't think they will be much protection."

"JD! VIN!" Chris yelled from around the house.

"Chris is going to pop a vein." JD told Vin.

"Boys! Now isn't the time for hiding!" Buck yelled into the dark.

"Dobie! Sam!" Josiah whistled loudly.

Instantly the Sam stopped eating and Dobie titled his head with his bone hanging from the side of his mouth.

"Come on boys." Josiah whistled for the dogs again.

Sam went to the edge of the tree house, whining and prancing from one paw to another. Dobie took a louder approach by pulling his head back and howling.

"Shhh…" Vin tried to hush the dogs but Dobie's howl got Josiah's attention.

"Anyone check the treehouse?" They heard Nathan ask from just under the floor of the playhouse.

"Aw man." Vin whined.

JD secretly was relieved. Now he didn't have to sleep outside in the dark.

* * *

Josiah had his brothers and Nathan all seated at the dining table. They were looking at him, waiting for the lecture and the forgiveness and how they would keep it all quiet. Well, that was what Buck was expecting.

"I am sorely disappointed at you Buck." Josiah glared at his younger brother. "I left you in charge of these two little ones for a few hours and look what you do."

"I'm not little." Vin corrected Josiah. "I'm fourteen. Only one year younger than Buck."

"If it matters at all, it wasn't supposed to be a full blown party. Just a few friends but word gets around small towns." Buck shrugged his wide shoulders. "One friend brings two more and…."

"It should have never happened." Chris glared at Buck. "The place is trashed. It's your party, you clean it up."

Buck glanced around the room, wincing at the litter it held and that was just one room. "I probably could use some help."

"You probably could but you not getting it." Josiah told him. "And you two. Why would you answer us when we called for you?"

Vin and JD shrugged their shoulders, as Buck had done earlier but they wore grins.

"I'm glad you are finding this amusing." Josiah barked. "While you two were enjoying yourselves we were worried about your safety. We had no idea what came of you but as long as you find it amusing, I guess it makes it alright?"

"Of course not." Vin shook his head, his smile fading. "Buck was just being awful annoying and you hadn't even been home for a whole day before you take off and Chris goes to his new girlfriend every day. Me and JD, we never get to do anything fun anymore. I can't even go riding without one of you."

"Yeah!" JD folded his arms in front of him. "We get stuck at the house all the time."

"Boys." Josiah finally took a chair at the table. "I know things don't seem fair at the moment but things will change. They always do. I shouldn't had left so quickly, that is true. Still I like to help people when I can, it's a part of who I am and what I do. Nathan as well. The village was in need of our help. Chris is getting old as well and he may seem to disappear at times but doesn't he always come back?"

"Yes." The boys mumble in union.

"Seeing how Dad is going to ground Buck for the next thirty years, he'll be here to entertain you two brats." Josiah went on.

"Wait now." Buck turned his attention to Josiah. "Are you really going to hand me over to Dad? There isn't a way you can turn an eye on this little mess?"

"Oh no." Josiah grinned, sitting back in his chair. "The one thing I learned from my childhood here is that Mom and Dad always find out. When they do find out, they would be wondering why I, the one they put in charge, never told them. I'm not going to allow you to pull me under on this."

"How long do you think JD will keep this quiet?" Chris asked Buck. "An hour? A day? Till the next time he decides he is mad at you?"

Buck looked down at his baby brother who was looking up at him with complete adoration. "I won't tell, Buck. I promise."

"Don't make him break that promise 'cause you know he will." Josiah told Buck.

"Wait? Now you want me to tell them?" Buck looked at the two oldest with wide eyes.

"Probably best to hear it from you." Nathan agreed. "They might consider your willingness to come clean. See it as a mature stage and maybe your punishment won't be so long or they will cut it shorter."

"You thinking about it as you clean up." Josiah patted Buck on the shoulder. "These two monsters need to go to bed."

"Aw…but it's not even nine." Vin whined.

"Maybe so but I am emotional tired. Fact is, I might not be if I knew where my baby brothers were but instead I was frantically searching for them." Josiah explained. "Now that I know you two are safe and in no harm, I'm ready for bed and if I am, so are you."

"But Mom didn't call yet." JD whined.

"She probably will by the time you two get showered and into your bed clothes." Chris told them.

* * *

Ezra tapped his foot impatiently against the slight bar that kept the oblong table from collapsing into itself. Mark had stated that the Larabee man and wife were interested in another visit and in fact at the very moment of Ezra's waiting, were going through the proper procedures to allow the meeting to take place. This bit of news did surprise Ezra while also ignited his curiosity of the pair. He had met honourable families before as his mother had a knack for targeting them and it seemed to Ezra that those were the sorts to easy manipulate. Perhaps that would be the case with Clint Larabee as Ezra was sure the man was acting on guilt alone.

Then again, it was very possible that Clint felt he should speak to Ezra in person to explain why he would not be able to claim him as his own. Ezra was sure there would be excuses about not having enough room or money to give him the proper attention he would require and that state custody would be the best option for him.

His thoughts were interrupted with a sharp polite knock on the door before Clint and Alice slipped through the entrance. Ezra held back the smirk that tempted to show as Alice quickly slipped into the room and just as quick, shut the door as if she expected something to slip pass her towards freedom.

"Mark." Clint gave the helpful social worker a nod of acknowledgement before putting his attention to his son. "Ezra."

"Hello." Alice chimed in as she quickly took the same seat across from Ezra as she did on the previous visit. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine ma'am." Ezra answered politely as he watched the pair settle into their seats.

Alice glanced around her, taking in the meekness of their surroundings. "I'm afraid yesterday's visit didn't have a very pleasant ending."

"I believe I should apologize for my uncouth behaviour of yesterday." Ezra started but Alice had already started to shake her head.

"It was the tension we all were under, I'm sure." Alice explained. "We spoke to Mark after your departure and he had seen it before and sometimes worse in other families. Mark has been very helpful in directing us to make the best choice for you, Ezra."

"I'm sure he has." Ezra said dryly, already detesting the notion that people were making his choices. No one in the world was more suitable than he when it came to what was best in his favour. It was a lesson he had learnt well. However, if he wanted an easy ticket out of this delinquent institution, he needed the right people to feel as they were indeed in charge of his electives.

"Alice and I have discussed with Mark as well to each other what the right thing to do in this situation." Clint looked over at Alice who in turned took his hand in her own and gave him an encouraging smile. "We feel…well considering the trouble you have been in and…well." Clint growled at himself inwardly. He had never been one to stumble over words and here he sat before a kid trying to find the right words. He took a deep breath and decided to just say it as bluntly as he would say anything else. "We want to take you home. We want you to truly be a part of our family."

"You do?" Ezra quickly calculated the idea. This was his ticket so naturally he wanted to board it. However, life was never that easy and he knew he must plan for the worse situation, which he had been in several times before.

"Yes we do. We would like to do so this weekend in fact, yet there is a problem that prevents us taking you home immediately." Clint leaned forward, placing his clasped hands on the table now that he felt more in control of the meeting. "I'm not going to dance around this. I am an officer of the law, Ezra. You are a young criminal. It is my job to carry a gun and your probation strictly prevents you to be in the same house as a weapon. Because of that, we can't allow you to travel back to our home until your probation expires. Now Mark," Clint glanced over his shoulder to the corner the social work sat to observe the family. "Well, Mark says that your probation will run out in thirty days. After that, you will be able to come home with us as long as you follow the rules and behave yourself."

"We really do want you to come home with us." Alice rushed in, truly wanting the boy before her to understand that. "Is that what you want?"

"I do not wish to stay here." Ezra blinked at the question before answering. It was something he hadn't been expecting to be asked.

"But do you want to come home with us?" Alice asked again.

"I feel that would be my better option." Ezra answered again, still holding back his own thoughts. Naturally he wanted out but to go live with some strangers, no not really. "Of course I wish to go with you."

"I'm glad to hear that." Alice smiled warmly at him. "Clint and I will be going back home tonight. There is so much to do before your arrival."

"You need not burden yourself with…" Ezra started.

"I'm looking forward to it." Alice cut him off.

"We both are." Clint added. "We would like to come back up next weekend and so on until you are off probation, to get to know you a little better. Perhaps bring the boys up to introduce you to them?"

"You do have quite a large family, Mr. Larabee." Mark interrupted. "Perhaps it would be best if didn't bring everyone at one time? Maybe two or three at the most?"

"I'm sure we can arrange that." Alice looked at Clint. "We could split one weekend up between the boys. Have JD, Chris and Vin on Saturday and Josiah and Buck on Sunday? You are interested meeting them?" Alice looked over at Ezra. "I know they will be excited to meet you. I can't wait to tell them the news."

Ezra gave her a slight smile as he allowed her to believe she had concealed her uncertainty successfully.

* * *

"Mommy!" JD cried flying down the steps and through the each room to alert his brothers that their parents had just arrived before shooting outside to greet them.

As soon as Alice climbed out of the car, JD lashed himself to her.

"Hey baby." Alice hugged her youngest close to her. "I missed you!"

"I missed you too, Mommy." JD pressed his face to her stomach, not wanting to let her go.

"Were you good for Josiah?" Alice asked, slowly making her way around the car while JD clung to her. She felt his dark head nod up and down.

"We ordered pizza!" Vin told his father as he helped by grabbing a suitcase out of the trunk.

"That sounds good." Clint smiled down at Vin. "Maybe later we could go down the trail for a nice ride?"

"Really?" Vin beamed at his father.

"Sure." Clint nodded. "We got a nice horse for Nathan if he still wants to learn how to ride."

"I'll go ask him!" Vin bounced the luggage inside the house and quickly went about searching for Nathan.

Alice looked at the house with a smile. It was good to be home.

"Glad to see it still standing?" Clint wrapped his arm around her, drawing her closer to him.

"Why wouldn't it be standing?" JD blinked at his father, as he still held tightly to his mother.

* * *

"And then Vin said we should sleep in the tree house." JD made wide movements with his arms as he told his father all about Buck's party.

The afternoon had passed quickly and pleasantly with pizza and a joyful ride afterwards. Nathan proved to be an excellent learner when it came to riding a horse on a tamed trail. However, he did admit to hurting in places he didn't realize existed before.

After a dinner of potatoes, gravy and chicken, Buck confessed to throwing a party and to his surprise, Clint took much better than he had imagined. It made Buck a little nervous though out the evening. Though, Buck did find himself grounded once more.

Clint plucked JD up off the ground and into his arms. "There is something your mother and I need to speak to you older boys about and it's going to come as a shock to you."

"I need to go and…" Nathan stood up to excuse himself, feeling as he may be intruding in family affairs. "Find something else to do."

"Sit down." Clint gave him a small grin. "Everyone is going to know about it, mind as well hear it from me."

"If you're sure." Nathan retook his spot at the table of chest he and Josiah were playing.

"I am. But first I need to put this boy to bed!" Clint turned JD upside down.

"No!" JD giggled as Clint carried him off to bed.

"Is this concerning your trip?" Josiah asked his mother without taking his eyes off the chest board.

"It is." Alice admitted.

"Are we going to like this?" Chris asked.

"I would want you too but you probably won't. Not at first." Alice said honestly.

"Are you and Dad okay?" Buck ask not sure if he really wanted to know.

"Yes, we are fine." Alice smiled sweetly at Buck.

The boys looked at each other, all wondering if anyone had a clue what was going on. Josiah gave Chris a brief shake of his head and Chris gave him a shrug back.

* * *

Together they waited for what felt like hours but JD was quick to sleep in a half an hour, which than Clint reclaimed his seat by Alice.

"This is hard for your father and me to tell you." Alice told her sons, feeling it was best if she started the story, from the beginning. "When I was pregnant with Buck, I was going through a very emotional time."

"It's understandable. It was Buck, after all." Vin joked.

"You're a comedian now?" Buck swatted the back of Vin's head.

"Boys." Clint shook his head.

Alice waited for the boys to settle before she continued. "It is possible that at that time I was going through a bit of depression. Of course everyone around me thought there was no reason for me to feel this way, myself included. Your father was working long hours to support the small family we were at the time. There were days when I didn't even see him and when he did come home, he was always too tired to do anything.

I felt horrible. I hated my appearance. I felt so unattractive so I started to think that maybe Clint found someone else. I um…well naturally confronted him about it and he denied it every time. His words weren't enough for me. Every time he walked through the door late, I'd start accusing him of having an affair and he would deny it and we would start fighting. It started to be an everyday routine with us. Eventually, Clint just wouldn't come home."

"I hated that. I wanted to see you two boys so much." Clint looked over at Chris and Josiah. "But going home always meant a battle with your mother. I hated to go home. I started to dread it so I picked up over time and did volunteer work. Anything that gave me a reason to stay away."

"And things got worse because of it." Alice smiled. "I eventually told him to pack up and leave. He did. Real quick too."

"I thought some space between us would be good." Clint shrugged with a sigh. "Again, I was wrong."

"I filed for divorcé. Had signed all the paper work and sent them to Clint." Alice told the boys.

"You and dad got a divorcé?" Buck asked surprised at the news. "I knew things weren't always a bed of roses but wow, a divorcé."

"Things weren't easy, no. Your father and I had a lot of ups and down especially when we were younger. It took time to realize what we have to give up sometimes in order to stay a family. We get a lot back though." Alice explained.

"I had started to drink frequently once I moved out." Clint told the boys. "It was enough to have my job questioned, so it did become a serious issue for me but at the time I didn't care. I always had wanted a huge family and I thought my dreams were being yanked away. There was very little I cared about. I received the divorcé papers and even started to sign them but I dragged my feet about it, knowing every paper sign a piece of my dream falling. I meant a blonde young lady at one of the bars. I didn't try to draw her attention to me. She just pulled out a chair and sat down at my table. She had a way about her that made you spill your secrets out. Her name was Maude and she was going through a terrible divorcé herself. Her husband was cheating on her, she had said. She was alone in the world with no friends or family. To shorten the story, I slept with her on the idea of thinking your mother and I was finished."

"Ewww…." Vin covered his ears.

"Do we have to know about this?" Buck asked.

"It's almost over." Clint assured him. "Maude convinced me to go back to your Mother, proclaim my love and so forth."

"He did it very romantically and did a lot of begging." Alice told the boys.

"And we did learn to put the broken pieces together. We've had a very happy life. Buck was born soon after I moved back in. About a year later, Vin came along and then eventually JD. You boys are our greatest joy." Clint took a deep breath. "But…"

"There is always a but." Vin shook his head in disappointment.

"There is. I never told your mother about Maude, though I should have." Clint gave his wife a grin. "I recently came aware that Maude actually deceived me. She was not in the same situation as me. She had married an older man for wealth and wanted to secure the relationship by having a child. Maude was having a difficult time conceiving from him so she went scouting about for a man that fit his description when he was younger."

"And you were the man?" Josiah guessed.

"I was and unknowingly, I gave her what she wanted." Clint sighed.

"Are you saying you got this lady pregnant?" Chris asked, glancing quickly at his Mother's reaction.

"We got another brother?" Vin asked. "Or is it a sister? A sister would be cool!"

"I did. You got another brother." Clint answered Chris and Vin's question respectably. "Maude's husband could not have children because of a medical condition that he was aware of but Maude was not. He knew she cheated on him. Probably knew why as well. I'm not sure what happen after Mr. Standish found out but he died a year or two after the boy was born. Maude has been in trouble with the law since. Your new brother was well. I just found out about him a few weeks ago. He's in court system right now for breaking the law, many times."

"He's a criminal?" Buck asked.

"He's in jail?" Vin's eyes grew large.

"Sounds like he's had a tough life." Josiah said with pity in his voice.

"What happens now?" Chris asked.

"Like your father said, we did go visit him this weekend and a well.." Alice looked over at Clint and back at the boys. "We ask him to come home with us."

"Cool." Vin smiled.

"But why?" Chris asked. "He sounds like trouble and people are just going to talk. When it comes down to it, you allowing his bastard kid to live with us. Everyone is going to assume that the mother isn't too far away."

"But I know she is locked away. I also know that her rights to Ezra are stripped away." Alice told him. "Ezra life has been very difficult, Chris. We are able to give him a second chance."

"Ezra." Vin frowned. "That's a funny name to give a kid. He's going to get beat up at school for sure."

"No funnier than someone name Buck." Nathan nudged Vin slightly in the rib causing the younger boy to giggle.

"Hey." Buck pulled a face at them before turning his attention back on his parents. "Can we pass him off as a cousin?"

"You know the truth always finds its way to the surface, Buck." Alice scolded him. "People will be even more suspicious when they find out we are trying to cover up the situation. And how would that make Ezra feel? He has made some terrible choices, that is obvious but being your brother or Clint's son was not of his choosing."

* * *

A/N: Again, thank you so much for the kind reviews. For the PM's to help improve my writing. I do appreciate them. I am sorry it took so long to get this chapter up. Family issues of my own and the holiday prevented it. I hope everyone had a Happy Christmas.


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